Employment scams are one of the fastest-growing forms of consumer fraud, with FTC reports and financial losses rising sharply over the past several years.
Scammers increasingly use fake remote jobs, task-based work, reshipping positions, and bogus recruiter contacts to steal money and personal information.
Consumer advocates say legitimate employers will never require applicants to pay upfront fees or purchase equipment before starting work.
For Americans searching for work, finding the right job has become more difficult — and avoiding scammers has become another challenge altogether.
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) data shows reports of job and employment scams have nearly tripled since 2020, while consumer losses have climbed from about $90 million to more than $500 million annually. The FTC says scammers are increasingly targeting job seekers with convincing emails, text messages, and online job postings that appear to come from legitimate employers.
The Better Business Bureau reports employment scams more than doubled in 2025, fueled in part by the popularity of remote work and the growing use of artificial intelligence to create realistic fake job listings and recruiter communications.
The most common employment scams
Fake remote jobs. The most common scam involves advertising work-from-home positions that promise flexible hours, high pay, and minimal qualifications. Victims are often "hired" after a brief text or online interview, only to be asked for bank information, Social Security numbers, or payments for training or equipment.
Task scams. The FTC has identified so-called "task scams" as one of the fastest-growing employment frauds. Victims receive unsolicited text messages or WhatsApp contacts offering simple online work, such as rating products or optimizing apps.
Initially, victims may receive small payments to build trust. Eventually, they are instructed to deposit their own money — often in cryptocurrency — to unlock larger assignments or earnings. The promised payouts never materialize, and the scammers disappear. Task scams accounted for nearly 40% of reported job scams in 2024.Reshipping jobs. Fraudsters recruit workers to receive packages at home and ship them elsewhere. Victims believe they are working in logistics, but the merchandise is often purchased with stolen credit cards, potentially exposing participants to legal problems while they never receive the promised wages.
Fake check scams. After offering a job, scammers send what appears to be a company check to purchase office equipment. Applicants are instructed to buy supplies from a designated vendor or forward part of the money. Days later, the check bounces, leaving the victim responsible for the money already spent or transferred.
Advance-fee and training scams. Some fake employers require applicants to pay for certifications, background checks, software, work permits, or training before they can begin working. Once payment is made, the employer disappears or continues requesting additional fees. Legitimate employers generally do not require applicants to pay upfront to be hired.
Red flags
Consumer advocates say job seekers should be wary if a recruiter:
Contacts them unexpectedly by text or messaging apps.
Offers unusually high pay for simple work.
Conducts interviews only by text or chat.
Pressures applicants to act immediately.
Requests payment before employment begins.
Asks for sensitive personal information before a formal hiring process.
Sends checks and instructs applicants to purchase equipment from specific vendors.
How to protect yourself
The FTC recommends researching employers independently rather than relying on links in emails or text messages. Applicants should visit a company's official website to verify job postings, confirm recruiter identities through corporate directories, and avoid paying any fees to obtain employment.
Anyone who believes they have encountered a job scam should stop communicating with the suspected scammer, report the incident to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, notify the job platform where the listing appeared, and monitor financial and credit accounts if personal information was disclosed.